Mitt Romney: None Of You Poors Die, I Think?

Mitt Romney, in his relentless effort to win over the liberal media by telling them strings of words that make it sound like he’s thinking, talked to the Columbus Dispatch yesterday about healthcare. Perhaps the most controversial part of Romney’s healthcare plan (haha, we kid, Romney has no plan) is getting rid of Obamacare’s preexisting guarantee coverage. How, then, will Romney deal with that?

Romney, in a meeting with The Dispatch’s editorial board, said those who currently don’t carry insurance would have a chance to make a “choice” to be covered without fear of being denied. But he didn’t specify how long Americans would have to make that choice, or what would happen to those who chose not to be covered and later fell sick.

This is a rather smart way of dealing with people who have preexisting conditions on a particular date, then laughing at everyone else who didn’t discover their liver cancer until after Mitt Romney said it was okay. But what about everyone else? What if I decide to metastasize my tumor later on? Never fear, there’s a plan there, too!

Romney minimized the harm for Americans left without health insurance.

“We don’t have a setting across this country where if you don’t have insurance, we just say to you, ‘Tough luck, you’re going to die when you have your heart attack,’ ” he said as he offered more hints as to what he would put in place of “Obamacare,” which he has pledged to repeal.

“No, you go to the hospital, you get treated, you get care, and it’s paid for, either by charity, the government or by the hospital. We don’t have people that become ill, who die in their apartment because they don’t have insurance.”

No, really, he said that. Nobody dies in their apartment anymore because they don’t have health insurance. Well, 45,000 a year do, but not in their apartments. Their landlords obviously call an ambulance to get them to the hospital so they can die with some goddamn dignity. This is America, after all.

What’s the best about Romney’s plan is that it’s designed as a punishment for people who wait around until they get sick and then demand reasonably priced healthcare. If you have a preexisting condition, you’re covered so long as you were covered while you had the condition and never, ever lost coverage for any reason – and the only reason anyone in America would lose coverage after any illness is pure grift and laziness.

After all, Ann Romney has a chronic disease and never lost her job of mothering. That’s dedication.

Sure, we can all negotiate with the companies! Then when you try, they just laugh at you and say "Either pay this or you can always just die!" Thanks, Mitt, for giving us the right to be screwed over!

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

He knows Us Poorz well.

Geminisunmars

I thought it was You Poorz.

AlterNewt

Strictly speaking, it's "Youse Poorz".

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

Well, if you're gonna be all *strict* about it …

AlterNewt

Decorum. It's all we have left if we are to… ah , fuck it.

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

*He* can say that because he's not one of us. I bet Ann never had to lie on her back wondering if she could make it downstairs to get food. Why can't *I* have running hot and cold servants TOO, dammit?

emmelemm

Whither your dumbwaiter?

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

Business trip to PNG. Oh, you mean the mechanical variety? We had one in the old house, but someone downstairs had to put stuff in it, you know. This house doesn't have one.

http://www.southsidejohnny.com/ Jukesgrrl

Surely your dancing horse should be able to fetch your dinner, MittBorg. Who trained that thing?

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

I don't know, but MAN, Rafalca's gettin' uppity lately. Time for a little visit to the glue factory, I think.

Blueb4sinrise

I thought it was 'We Poorz'.

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

Us Poorz would like to disagree, but we're too oppressed.

bikerlaureate

Well, he is unemployed…

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

I can think of lots of useful things for him to do, although none of them involve being on a public stage ever again.

bikerlaureate

Somehow I doubt you're holding your breath until he actually does any of those useful things…

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

In all honesty, I will admit to less than charitable thoughts about the whole fecking pack of them. (spits on halo, polishes it on sleeve)I wish these motherfuckers would stop tempting me into hating on 'em so much. I'll be back as a cockroach forEVAH at this rate.

JackObin

Is obesity a preexisting condition? If it is, why then the mormon lovers are quite fucked.

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

Judging from their paid porn consumption, they sure would like to be.

http://wonkette.com/ weejee

So there is a subtle difference in the Rmoney plan from straight-up eugenics. Cheers!

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

V-e-r-y subtil.

savethispatient

You can't spell "Emergency Care Genius" without Eugenics!

AlterNewt

"We don’t have people that become ill, who die in their apartment because they don’t have insurance.”

Well now we know he's not qualified to be President, because he can't READ.

Geminisunmars

Didn't stop a previous Prez. And VPrez candidadate.

AlterNewt

I take your point.
You wouldn't have a .38 with a single bullet , or some good, strong hanging rope and a chair I could borrow, would you?

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

NO! No, no, no! Wait till November 7th. If things go wrong and enough of us Do The Deed, we might get the planet to shift on its axis. Or something.

Geminisunmars

Moroni getting elected would fit in with the Mayan prophecy, wouldn't it?

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

Don't even think that thought. If he wins, I'm leaving or dead. I don't want to live in a Rmoney world.

Geminisunmars

I understand. Although living in bizarro world would only feel familiar, after 2000-08. The observer part of me finds it fascinating (in a morbid, masochistic kind of way).

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

I can't do it again, I just can't. I've had enough of this shit. I can't live through even one more year.

http://wonkette.com/ starfanglednut

Z, you have to stay around. We need you.

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

I must have been a saint in a past life to deserve you, sweetie. (Kisses the sweet thing's cheek) Thank you.

AlterNewt

Okay.

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

Whew! I mean, let's at least go together, we can keep each other company on the way out. (Hugs you)

AlterNewt

Thanks, MB. Just a momentary death wish, but much appreciated.

bobbert

I have a bunch of death wishes, but so far not for myself.

AlterNewt

Very wise.

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

THERE ya go! Send those wishes to those wut earned 'em.

Geminisunmars

You can't leave the rest of the wonketters behind. You just can't.

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

We'll make a party of it. Only the finest acid. Followed by attempts at flight. Off the Half Dome.

LagunaB

Weedlord!
{Click. clack, click, clack}
Dahing?
{Lady Caroline enters the book-lined den of her husband Lord Bonerhitler of Ecton Hall, Northhamptonshire}
Are you feeling peckish? Uma and I are making some nibbley bits. Chicken Tikka, fresh nan and dal. Is it too early for Simca and Gin?

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

Hey, darling girl! How are you?

It's never too early for booze.

vodkamuppet

"or some good, strong hanging rope and a chair I could borrow"

There's actually been a lot of that hanging around free for the taking since Clint did his thing a few weeks back.

freakishlywrong

"Smithers, release the hounds".

freakishlywrong

Oh, and hey Miff, as a new apartment dweller, I'd rather die here than in your arms. (I had to sell my house due to "fiscal conservatism").

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

(Hugs freakishly) Those of us who didn't sell barely made it through by the skin of our teeth.

freakishlywrong

Word. MittB.

ednamillion22

Well, hell — now that I know that my apartment comes with a govermnent guarantee that I won't die, I'm never going to buy a house. And I'll live forever. FOREVER, I tell you!

*evil poor laugh*

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

Now, Edna. Poorz aren't supposed to laugh. Control yourself, or Mitt will visit you to see what else he can do to make your life miserable.

Surely Mitt knows he's in over his head; right? Hell, I do, and I don't know shit.

Barrelhse

You nailed him, ttommy.

Texan_Bulldog

"Nobody dies in their apartment anymore because they don’t have health insurance." What is his thing with apartments? Is that code for "trailer"?

JohnnyQuick

It's OK if you own one. At least one entire building of apartments. Small biz!

Biel_ze_Bubba

"Apartments" is code for "urban". Which is code for blah. (Second-harmonic dog whistle.)

Barbara_

Man, Canada is really starting to look good.

TavariousChinaSmith

It snowed a little near Toronto today. Although to be fair, I went to a walk-in clinic the other day for an outer ear infection, waited half an hour, saw a pleasant doctor who examined my ear and wrote a prescription, then I went downstairs to the pharmacy where said prescription was filled. And the whole time I didn't pay a cent (though prescription drugs are covered through my employment, not the government).

You know what, fuck that! It doesn't snow in Florida which more than makes up for sitting miserably in an apartment with an earache.

AlterNewt

*Jiggles handle to make sure the Wonkettes is running okay before the big event*

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

I'm sweating. Is it time yet?

natl_[redacted]_cmdr

Is this thing on?

Beowoof

Well they don't die where he can see them from one of the mansions. So he believes he is telling the truth.

Schmannnity

Mitt knows healthcare from horse veterinary practice. They shoot poors once they are taken to the hospital, right?

PuckStopsHere

The hospital would never dream of passing the cost of all this care they are providing the uninsured along to me, never. Aspirins just happen to cost $22 apiece.

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

I pulled out my wallet to pay for my mother's drugs after her last, lengthy, expensive stay in hospital. The woman at the counter looked at me like I was crazy, and said, "Paid for already. By the government."

I was just thinking about the smirking malevolence and petty, selfish greedy assholery to boot. When is someone going to call Miffed, Dubya? Because he hasn't articulated a paper thin difference from Bush in any policy, period. Bush's healthcare plan was "if you don't have insurance, theres the emergency room!"…on economics, "tax cuts fer the ritch and de-reguhlation", on foreign policy, "unilateral imperialism"…what's the fucking difference? Medicare and Social Security, privatize 'em while telling older people they won't be fucked over! Aborshun…outlaw it, activist judges! If there is a difference between Miffed and Dubya it requires someone with a far greater eye for detail to explain than I have, that's for sure. I guess Miffed doesn't say Jesus every other word…that's about it.

writemeblue

Mitt should get together with that guy from his Virginia office who wants to execute people for being poor and then steal their children. They could execute everyone who is dumb enough to be sick without health insurance! Problem solved!

http://www.kalimao.blogspot.com MittBorg

I'm still horrified by that one. I mean, I often say that I would love to kill everyone who annoys me (and most people do), but I cannot imagine anyone saying that and meaning it. And he did.

cousinitt

“You have to deal with those people who are currently uninsured, and help them have the opportunity to have insurance,” said Romney, who favors letting states craft their own plans.

Deal. With.

What in the Sam Hill does –help them have the opportunity to have– even mean? Is he channeling the Snowbilly from Wasilly? Is that why she is wasting away, using her super powers to befuddle and bejinx Romney out of spite that her star is fading fast?

pdiddycornchips

I am sure those people without insurance will be proud to sacrifice their lives so that hedge fund managers can afford more blow and hookers. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a Socialist!!!!

http://www.southsidejohnny.com/ Jukesgrrl

Those. People.

BlueStateLibel

"Tough luck, you had a heart attack," is probably all he really wanted to say.

http://lostintarnation.blogspot.com/ SayItWithWookies

Well shit, I can't understand how Mitt thought there was a problem in the first place — what with the poor folks (and middle class too, though he doesn't see it that way) being able to rely on our benevolent emergency rooms and the overstuffed coffers of our public charities, there's really no reason to reform healthcare to begin with. Especially when the trees are just dripping with spaghetti, and we can go out every wednesday when it rains salmon and tuna, and we can just stop by the gas station and they'll fill up the tank for free, and if you don't have a car why just borrow one from the local auto pool, and — well, I gwine reckon since ol' Mitt be beset all de time wid to hardships of his benebolent despotism, we here on Big Rock Candy Mountain be livin' de real life o' luxury and he jest jellous o' us.

He's right, people don't die in their apartments. They die in the ambulance on the way to hospital. Who's to blame for that? Haha!! Obviously, Obama, Because giving huge tax cuts to rich assholes solves everything. Why can't O-Blamma see that? Haha!!! Because he's a communist, obvs.

poorgradstudent

I've got my issues with Obama and the post-Clinton Democratic consensus (I know, FIREBAGGER!!!!!1!!1), but holy crap at least Obama clearly on a fundamental level has empathy for the majority of his country's population and is trying constantly to comprehend the crisis and ways to reverse it. You have to have the ideological blinders glued on to begin to think the same about Romney.

Gratuitous? Well, on one hand I do genuinely think Clinton was one of the better Presidents since FDR. On the other hand, he did steer the whole Democratic Party toward the center-right, which ultimately had the effect of pretty much reducing the whole national Left to Bernie Sanders and a couple of other people and (arguably) helping cause the Republicans to go further right into dear God I don't even territory.

pdiddycornchips

Perfection is the enemy of progress. Clinton wasn't perfect but he actually got shit done. If Bill moved the party "center-right" in what direction has Barry moved it? From HCR, which, while an improvement, still leaves insurance companies in charge and is the polar opposite of what he said he would do before he became president (no individual mandate, a public option), to Bradley Manning, to expanding domestic surveillance programs, Bams can't exactly claim to be much of an improvement and no one can claim he's a progressive.

Callyson

“No, you go to the hospital, you get treated, you get care, and it’s paid for, either by charity, the government or by the hospital."

No, you wait until your condition gets much worse, you get treated to the point that your now-worse condition is treatable, and it's more expensive to pay for, either by broke charities, the government that Mittens' supporters hate, or by the greedy hospital that makes up for it by grossly overcharging everyone else and driving up healthcare costs even more.

Asshole.

bobbert

And then you die, because you waited too long to get treatment.

Biel_ze_Bubba

I think that's part of the "plan".

AncienReggie

You also keep getting billed and hounded for that emergency room visit for the rest of your benighted life.

kittensdontlie

This is pissing me off. The only way to get back at these a-holes is to abort more babies.
Abort! Abort! Abort!

Mittens Howell, III

Is being a victim considered a pre-existing condition?

Poindexter718

"Goodness gracious, uninsured people don't expire in their apartments. They turn off "Good Times" on their TV, put on their track suit and skeedaddle on the bus to the nearest hospital."
–Willard M. Romney, American”

natl_[redacted]_cmdr

When will the so-called liberal media report on the FACT that Romney will enact Mormon law and ABOLISH ALCOHOL in this country if he is elected?!!1!?1

LibertyLover

Romney said to Beck (circa 2007):

“When they show up at the hospital, they get care. They get free care paid for by you and me. If that’s not a form of socialism, I don’t know what is. So my plan did something quite different. It said, you know what? If people can afford to buy insurance … or if they can pay their own way, then they either buy that insurance or pay their own way, but they no longer look to government to hand out free care. And that, in my opinion, is ultimate conservativism.”

LibertyLover

In a March 2010 interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe,Romney was asked if he believed in universal coverage and he said:

“Oh, sure. Look, it doesn’t make a lot of sense for us to have millions and millions of people who have no health insurance and yet who can go to the emergency room and get entirely free care for which they have no responsibility, particularly if they are people who have sufficient means to pay their own way.”

BoroPrimorac

He can't say that now. He's running for president for Pete's sake.

TootsStansbury

I know someone who lay in an emergency room cot with a fucking broken jaw for at least 24 hours before he was able to have it set. Best medical care in the world! ugh!

OT I am cooking up a lovely batch of lentil soup and it smells so yummy.

freakishlywrong

Make it for your sistah. Sistah.

TootsStansbury

ayight. grandkid likes it. beans make her toot. she's all about that. a chip off the old block.

http://www.southsidejohnny.com/ Jukesgrrl

It's good to be prepared with soup in case anyone else gets their jaw broken.

chascates

I lost my job over 6 years ago. A little savings and working for friends brought in what's kept me alive. I really, really need by gallbladder removed and this pre-existing condition thing is a pretty big deal to me. I can't buy any insurance now, there's no money to even get my vehicle running again. I've got 8 years to Medicare. If I make it.

freakishlywrong

How can we help?

freakishlywrong

I've emailed our editix. Hopefully we can set up something to fucking do something.

Serfville

Thanks, I really want to get the info on Mass Healthcare etc… to Chascates.

TootsStansbury

fucking hell. yeah can we help?

Serfville

I don't know if you can do something like this or not, but it is REALLY EASY to get full Medicaid help and complete Medical Insurance coverage in Massachusetts. You just basically have to have an address there & walk into (usually a hospital, (which is called a "gateway"), & sign up. The threshold for being poor in Mass is high (you do not have to be dirt poor, lets just put it that way) What I'm trying to say is, if you know someone there, & can use their address or live there long enough to get your surgery (just a few months in a month to month apartment) you can get your surgery in Mass. Just a thought. Fuck this Nazi bullshit in this country with millions in your situation being treated this way, it is uncomprehensible. The easiest and fastest thing to do is walk into a hospital that has a "gateway" to get Medical Insurance, if you are eligible you can get Medicaid right away (in Mass). It is really easy and uncomplicated to get Medicaid Full Health Insurance in Mass pretty quickly unless you make a pretty good amount of money. What about the Affordable Care Act that is coming into fruition in stages right now, can that help you? There are states that the Governor (for example in New York, such as Cuomo), that have implented the Affordable Care Act early to help people such as yourself. There are quite a few states that have done that. You could then just pick a plan and it would be against the law not to cover you for preexisting, well before the 2014 implementation. I don't know where you live, but your state might be one of the ones where the Governor has implemented the ACA early.

chascates

I saw something on PBS several months ago about the MA healthcare. They interviewed one guy who told how he worked for him and I actually went online if cheap accommodations in the western part be affordable enough to make the move work. My dream is to fix up a used bus (ex-metro transit rather than a skoolie) and live in that for a while.
As someone who's grown to hate that Texas heat I could dig some cold, old-American, North East weather. Plus lobsters. Lots of lobsters.

bibliotequetress

I live in Mass. Actually, I live about a mile from the Longwood Medical area in Boston. I don't know enough about Intense Debate to know how to get my email address to you. Can someone help us get in touch with each other?

Serfville

If you need details I can give them to you. It is not complicated there (Mass) at all to do above. Don't do it thru the mail. There are certain hospitals that are "gateways", where you talk to a live person and they set you up right away with Medicaid. Full Health Insurance (Medicaid), maybe the most you would pay is $2 or $4 for meds. Also, I know of a REAL job you can do online (no scams!) if you are sick. For extra money (not all states have it, they used to, I think your state Texas has it, it's mostly in the South) It's not a lot of money but pretty good monthly money (set your own hours etc.., a lot of freedom) PS: it is a REAL job where you don't have to pay to get the job (those are usually scams), You get paid twice a month deposit to your bank account if you want They also have lots of extra hours around the Holidays, again it's not tons of money but pretty good for the freedom and working at home I think you have to have DSL and a landline that's pretty much it.

emmelemm

Yeah, what state do you live in?

[And how can we help.]

http://www.southsidejohnny.com/ Jukesgrrl

Chascates lives in rural Texas, I do believe.

chascates

But y'all! I'm doing OK! I'm still kickin'! It probably does sound pretty 'Grapes of Wrath' but I guess I'm just used to it. My books, FM music, and a little interwebz weirdness is all I need.

bibliotequetress

"Crossing my fingers" is not a health plan, sweetcheeks. Even if you don't want to take any action right away, please see if you can get in touch with me and we can make tentative plans if you need'em.

LagunaB

We are all hanging on by our toenails. But we can help one another. Try millet cooked 4 cup of water to 1 cup of millet for 45 minutes. Cook a bunch of kale cleaned in a pot of 1 to 2 cups of water in a separate pot. Put 1/2 cup of virgin oil in a blender with 4 garlic cloves. Blend. Add kale with water. Blend. Stir into millet. Eat. Calcium, B vitamins. Healing elixir. Eat. Your gall bladder / liver will be tickled. Seriously.
Drink carrot / celery/ beet juice. And olive oil on everything.

http://www.southsidejohnny.com/ Jukesgrrl

And we'll always have Paris.

emmelemm

Ugh! That does make the likelihood of any "official" help from the state very small, doesn't it?

pdiddycornchips

Seriously, how can we Wonkette hipppy commies help? Personally, I am not a rich man but I'll give up the $200 a month I spend on weed to help. Set up a paypal account and I'll make a donation tonight.

StillGoinGreen

Just give me an avenue and I will be glad to help as well.

Geminisunmars

I'm in.

LagunaB

Ok. To help your gall bladder you need to do the following. No drinking. No butter, ice cream, milk products, etc. Use olive olive instead of butter. Eat bitter greens. Kale, rappini rabe, steamed vegetables. Lots. No refined sugars. Whole grains. Oatmeal, Irish steel cut oats. This pull crap out of your liver/gall bladder. Beets are good for your liver which works in tandem with your gall bladder to process food. There is a apple juice fast that is helpful but not now. It does clear out gall bladder junk but it is really onerous. The gall bladder can be rehabilitated but it takes work. My family has been studing healthy eating habits/ nutrition/ health and wellness since the 60's. We started the first natural foods market in 1975. The Whole Foods guys came to us for market knowledge. I can help. Let me know what you need.

Serfville

Laguna is right. There is this little pulse blender Nutri Blast that can get you the core nutirents in food it comes with a recipe book. No fat or sugar whatsoever in your diet. Nutrient dense diet. There is this Dr. on PBS I forget his name the Immune Solution or something. He is very good.

mille derps

Yes, beets are awesome.

Also, if you are having trouble digesting fats (animal fats, vegetable oils, etc.), I know an MD who recommends supplementing with ox bile. He likes this supplement since it supports gall bladder AND liver function: http://pureformulas.com/lipotropic-complex-90-cap…

Biel_ze_Bubba

Walk into a hospital, and tell them to send Mitt the bill.

Monsieur_Grumpe

Dear Republicans Who Nominated This Piece Of Shit For Brains,
Are you embarrassed yet?
MG

Slightly OT but in 30 Rock's world, Paul Ryan dropped out of the race because he was born in Kenya.

cheetojeebus

Psschaww!! < monocle pops out>

http://wonkette.com/ Sharkey

Wait, here's what we do. Require apartment (and condo, what the hey!) owners to buy health insurance for anyone who moves in. They can pass the cost along to the renters – but they must tell them about it up front.

Ah, the local fishwrap. Only a few blocks a way. (As are the GOP Ohio office, and the Democratic Ohio office.)

Let me know if you'd like a picture of any of the above.
~

ednamillion22

Also, whenever Mitt trots out this line, a bleak film montage plays in my head: lonely, sad people languishing in dingy flats, staring at the flickering blue TV, waiting around to die under their ratty afghan blankets.

bibliotequetress

"We don’t have people that become ill, who die in their apartment because they don’t have insurance.”

Right. We die on the sidewalk outside the emergency room.

TootsStansbury

So it comes down to transferring from a plutocracy to a full on kleptocracy. Wow I can't wait.

alteredimages

Poor Mittens. Even the rightleaning Columbus Dispatch wrote the article in such a way as to sound disdainful of him. Couldn't happen to a nicer giant bipedal pubic louse.

mrbubb

This is just not even funny. My wife had cancer for 8 years; we lived in constant fear of my being laid-off and thereafter being unable to get coverage for her pre-existing condition. She eventually cost more than $1 million and died in January after five weeks in a hospice that didn't take Medicare or Medicaid. I think that if I lost a loved one because of policies like this, I'd just hunt the guy down, plain and simple.

Geminisunmars

I'm so sorry. My husband lost his first wife similarly. We need a health care system where one can deal with the crisis without having to worry about keeping insurance, or what will happen if it is lost, or even just having to deal with denial of coverage. Grrrr.
Anyway, hugs to you.

Mitt doesn't see the problem because it's not Mitt's problem. You're only aware of the problem with the way healthcare is delivered in this country if it you use it like most people. I bet Ann's doctors (like Mitt's) make house calls.

ktscarlett24

I love the assumption that the worst that could possible happen to someone without insurance is dying. Not slow, inevitable decline into dementia, immobility, chronic pain, incontinence, etc.

Sorry, but as someone with the same chronic condition as Her Eggness, comments like this make me stabby.